Off to the Gate with the Gukbap Addict
Park Jisu stared at her smartphone after the call cut off. What should I wear? She plopped down on the sofa, pondering which gukbap to have for lunch, but now her mind had shifted gears entirely. She rushed to the closet, flung open the door, and there they were: her academy cadet uniform and training gear. If I'd known, I should've scheduled the meetup later to buy something new.
But it's a training ground, right? The cadet uniform should be fine. With her self-justification complete, Park Jisu hurriedly ironed a spare uniform.
To be blunt, Park Jisu liked Kang San. Even though she'd awakened pretty early, she'd spent a long time moping around. What good was talent if her small frame meant she was always scrambling just to keep up? With her siblings' tuition to pay, she needed more money—a lot more.
That's when Kang San showed up. Back then, he was the model cadet, brimming with confidence and always leading by example. With his constant smile, he'd help with training, offering comfort and encouragement. She'd found real solace in him during those tough days. Thanks to that, she hadn't given up—and ended up getting sponsorship from the association. In a way, the Park Jisu she was today existed because of Kang San.
Of course, not long after, his delayed second awakening led to rampages, revealing his once-decent personality was total trash. He had no idea how much that hurt her. But now, somehow smitten despite it all—that was her little secret.
Park Jisu recalled seeing him last time. Fuck... he's gotten so damn hot. She vented her frustration by scrubbing the iron harder than necessary.
At the after-party, Kang San had shown up looking better than most idols, casually peering down at her with that mischievous grin. If she hadn't caught on quick, she'd have embarrassed herself in front of all her classmates. Acting all ladylike and demure in front of him? I'd sooner hang myself.
Then, out of nowhere during drinks, he'd slammed a grand salute her way. Back then, she'd gulped at the glimpse of his back muscles peeking from his slipped T-shirt and granted his request. Only later did she learn it was about borrowing a weapon.
Did I get the better deal? Weapon for one lunch date and a peek at Kang San's back muscles... Weighing the gains, Park Jisu nodded, changed into her cadet uniform, and headed to the parking garage.
Sliding into the car, she spotted snack wrappers and disposable cups that never usually showed up. She swiftly trashed them, yanked the car freshener from the glovebox, and set it up. Rolling down all the windows for a quick air-out was a bonus.
Exiting the tunnel toward the academy, the sprawling grounds came into view. She checked the rearview mirror, fixed her hair, and pressed on—only to spot Kang San at the main gate. Dressed in his cadet uniform, flashing that heart-melting smile while chatting up street girls with fake laughs. Rage boiled over.
Jeong Jae-kyung was right. She parked on the roadside, honked aggressively, and finally he turned, beaming as he approached.
Trash bastard. Park Jisu liked Kang San—and the hotter version now? Even more.
+++
Waiting for Park Jisu at the gate, butterflies started flocking to my natural good looks.
"Excuse me. Are you an academy cadet?"
I turned to see two college girls in a tight H-skirt and jeans, clutching their smartphones to their chests as they approached. An awakener's eyes are sharper than hands. I scanned them in a flash, then flashed a full smile.
"Yeah, 24th class academy cadet."
I slipped in my class year casually. The academy trained hunters idolized worldwide, so even civilians knew the class details better than most.
Military grunts are all stuck in boot camp right now anyway.
Sure enough, they got flirtier. As I swapped numbers and bantered, a horn blared from afar. I looked—Park Jisu's car, hazards on, parked curbside.
Damn shorty driving an SUV like it's hers. Gotta give her a lesson someday. Imagining her tiny legs fumbling the pedals and brakes, I chuckled, bid the girls goodbye, and headed over. I stashed the gun case in the trunk, hopped into the passenger seat, and tapped her pouty shoulder.
"Starving. Driver Park, let's roll."
"Horny mutt bastard."
Park Jisu shot me a glare, then started driving. Soon we pulled up to a massive restaurant I vaguely remembered.
"Hey, beef gukbap good?"
"Yeah. What's today's meat?"
"Dunno. Trash."
This place used gate monsters as ingredients. Freaks are everywhere, right? A stranded hunter once survived by eating them—turns out, mana made 'em healthy and tasty. Limited safe ingredients killed the trend, but spots like this drew the well-off crowd regularly.
Gukbap that's tasty and good for you... Crazy gukbap fiend.
Park Jisu devoured her food with a blissful look until she noticed my distant stare and tilted her head.
"What? It's nothing."
"Spill."
"You pick a third-year partner yet?"
"Partner?"
I relayed what Jeong Jae-kyung told me. She nodded knowingly.
"No wonder the guys wanted to 'talk quick.'"
"No one asked you direct?"
"Nah, just a few 'meet up' texts."
Her status as runner-up made guys scheme to pair for easy third-year classes. Admirable effort—but honey's for me alone.
"So, what do you think of lowly me teaming up with our Park Jisu here?"
"Hmm... Wouldn't Eun-woo be better?"
Top scores meant academy prizes and bonuses. For money-hungry Park Jisu, passing up a winning lotto was tough.
"Hey, top and runner-up team up, you think we score normal? What Miss Park needs is pairing with an underdog everyone acknowledges, hitting that niche market."
My delayed awakening tanked my official academy eval. Planning a comeback post-break—but right now, no one knew my potential. My bold vibe tipped her off; she bit.
"Smart play, but... what's your exact ability?"
"C'mon, boss. Skip the talk—gate after chow?"
She figured syncing in action mattered more and nodded.
"Fine. I'll book a C-rank."
"Boss Park, make it B-rank."
"Hey! Even B-rank me's support-type—can't solo clear."
"Nah, totally doable."
I placed my hand on the table, subtly channeling mana. A deep purple hand aura formed.
Fuck. Why's it purple?
Hitting 60 stats unlocked hand aura, but for some reason, it was purple. Mana colors varied by ability, but purple? First time.
"Whoa?! You! Already B-rank?!"
Her eyes widened at my rapid growth since awakening.
"Damn right! That's me. How's that—Cha Eun-woo's chump change now!"
I swished the aura through the air; her face lit up.
Among cadets, only Cha Eun-woo, her, and a few fourth-years could manifest mana physically. For hunters, that was the star-potential litmus test. Her excitement was natural—she'd seen it herself.
I was her unclaimed winning ticket.
"Whaddya say, boss Park? Stamp the deal?"
"Fuck. Bring the contract, boss Kang!"
We cackled amid the slicing purple glow before standing.
"B-rank booked?"
"Yeah, good spot now. Orc settlement."
"Perfect."
Orcs were C-rank fodder solo, but settlements upped elite odds, bumping to B. Ideal for B-rank Park Jisu and C-rank hunter me.
"Rushing, but geared up?"
"Got the returned Shai-tech, pistols and ammo always on me. Cadet uniform skips armor limits."
I nodded—her association gigs made her more clued-in than me. No worries.
An hour after leaving the restaurant, we arrived at the gate, soldiers and association staff on guard.